Registration for the 2017 sophomore edition of the competition closes on September 30 and its organisers said they have been stunned by the number of remarkably beautiful ladies who already expressed interest by submitting their registration forms through http://www.qmainternational.com/entry_form_2017/.

Winner of this year’s edition will receive a cash prize of five million Naira to set up her own business. Additionally, the winner will have access to business advice from experts to ensure that the business remains successful and profitable. Other prizes include a brand new saloon car and a wardrobe of designers’ outfits from leading fashion brands. The winner will also automatically become a cultural ambassador to the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi on all his trips around the world.

QMA beauty pageant was introduced in 2016 as an initiative of the Royal Palace of the Ooni of Ife, to further immortalise one of the greatest heroines of Yorùbáland whose exemplary life, intervention and sacrifice saved her people and king from slavery and extinction.

According to a statement signed by Ms. Florence Bodunrin Hungbo, the youth Ambassador for the QMA project, “Registration for this year’s edition is free and will close by Saturday, September 30. Participation is exclusive to young girls of Yoruba descent”. She added that any lady whose mum or dad is Yoruba is qualified to contest.

Speaking on the drive behind the initiative, Ms. Bodunrin emphasised that QMA beauty pageant was aimed at sustaining the historical thematic virtues of Queen Móremí Àjàsorò whose heroic legacies will continue to endure in the chronicles of both Yoruba and world histories.

She further hinted that so much is expected of the lucky lady that would be crowned as the most celebrated and visible cultural queen in Nigeria come November 2017. The Queen Móremí Àjàsorò beauty pageant would showcase intelligent, culturally aware, strong and beautiful young ladies that exemplify the heroic attributes of Ife’s greatest queen.

“Apart from upholding the legacy of Queen Móremí, the pageant would use beauty to promote business ideas for economic growth and youth development”, she stated.

Also speaking on the virtues of Queen Móremí Àjàsorò, His Imperial Majesty, the Ooni of Ife, Oba Enitan Adeyeye Ogunwusi, Ojaja II said, “Móremí Àjàsorò exhibited an unrivalled heroism of world’s liberty and dedicated her life to the liberation of mankind by sacrificing her only child to free the people of Oodua land from the invasion of some faceless terrorists thousands of years ago”.

The Ooni said, “Queen Móremí represents an indelible new dawn of great awakening for the development of the Yorùbá culture. This mission is very close to my heart and touches my global re-enactment of the Yorùbá culture.”